Stronger Than She Looks (Divergent Eric)

{8} Go hard, or go home

I'm not sure what I expected training to be like. I knew it was going to be hard, but I never imagined it would be like this.

On the first day Four explained Stage One was physical and would last around 4 weeks. The first week devoted to physical fitness, followed by a week of weapons training, a week of combat training and then the one on one fights would take up the last week.

Today is day 6, and I think it's possible that today will be the day Four kills me. We started at 8am in the training room as normal, but then he announced we were going to do a 10 mile run. 10 miles?! Seriously he's actually insane.

Each lap we run criss crossing the compound is roughly 1 mile. We've already completed 9 and are on the final one.

I stopped being able to feel my legs around lap 5.

Delirium set in around lap 8.

Now I'm running completely on autopilot. I'm convinced when we finish I won't be able to stop my legs and they'll carry on running forever.

Like I said, delirium has definitely set in.

Each lap ends with twice around the training room and as we enter for the final time, I'm shocked to see Eric stood in the centre with his arms folded; watching us all enter with an impassionate look on his face.

I stumble and nearly fall over my own feet I'm so surprised. His presence is probably the only thing that could snap me out of this bizarre trance like state I've entered. It's the first time I've seen him since he walked out of my room in the medical unit. There's been no sign of him during training, and if he's been in the compound he hasn't been around any of the common areas at mealtimes or in the evening when we get time to ourselves.

I push myself to carry on, focusing only on Four's back. I will finish this run. I'm not letting his presence unnerve me so I fail this close to the end.

Every foot fall echoes in my head, like a drum pounding. I focus on nothing more than this.

Suddenly Four stops and I career into the back of him. I'd been so focused on finishing I hadn't even realised it's over!

I collapse on to all fours, taking huge deep breaths to try and stabilise my breathing back to normal. I can feel the sweat dripping down my face and neck. I've never pushed myself this hard at anything ever and now that I've stopped I feel worse than when I was still running.

"Well done." Four pants, obviously out of breath himself.

I'm the only one who kept up with him step for step on the entire run. Even the closest transfers after me finish a good 50 metres behind us.

I turn my head to the side and look up slightly so I can see him.

"I'm actually going to die." I pant. I've never felt this exhausted ever.

"Don't be so melodramatic."

I'd recognise that voice anywhere. Eric.

"If you want to judge, you fucking run 10 miles!"

The words are out before I can stop them and I freeze. Shit! I really shouldn't have said that. Thankfully only Four is within hearing distance.

I look up and Eric is staring at me like I've got two heads. He's probably just as shocked I said that as I am. Four looks truely horrified as his eyes flicker back and forth between the two of us.

"Watch yourself, Amity." He sneers, his voice cold and distant. Before I can do anything else, he strides off out of the training room.

Did that really just happen?